Zimbabwe riot police wielding batons broke up protests by union members, doctors and nurses in Harare today as the death toll from a cholera epidemic rose to 565.
Trade unions have called protests over a shortage of increasingly worthless cash while at least 100 health workers protested to demand better pay and conditions at a time they are fighting Zimbabwe's worst cholera outbreak on record.
Zimbabwe's once relatively prosperous economy has collapsed and any hope of rescue is on hold while president Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are deadlocked over implementing a power-sharing arrangement.
Riot police with shields and batons broke up a group of about 20 demonstrators marching towards the central bank. Across town, police dispersed about 100 health workers who had converged outside the health ministry.
Public hospitals have largely shut down due to drug and equipment shortages, as well as frequent strikes by doctors and nurses pressing for better pay. They have been ill-equipped to cope with the cholera outbreak.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Zimbabwe said cholera had killed 565 people and infected over 12,500 Zimbabweans. Hundreds of Zimbabweans have fled to South Africa for treatment, adding to pressure for greater regional involvement to pull Zimbabwe back from total meltdown.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions said it would press ahead with protests despite the heavy police presence. It said almost 50 union members - including ZCTU General Secretary Wellington Chibebe - had been arrested by police. "Another 10 in Harare were heavily assaulted by the police," the ZCTU said in a statement.
Police were not immediately available for comment.
There was no sign of any immediate impact of new measures announced by the bank to increase cash withdrawal limits and introduce higher value notes. There were still long lines outside banks as shoppers jostled to get cash.
The state-owned
Heraldnewspaper said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had unveiled new Z$10 million, Z$50 million and Z$100 million notes that would go into circulation tomorrow. The previously highest denomination was Z$1 million.
The protests follow unprecedented clashes between soldiers and Zimbabweans on Monday as dozens of unarmed soldiers were involved in running battles with mobs and riot police after seizing cash from vendors and illegal foreign currency traders.
Zimbabwe's Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi said measures had been put in place to prevent acts of violence by what state media called "rogue soldiers".
"Let me also emphasise that those who may try to incite some members of the uniformed forces to indulge in illegal activities will be found equally culpable," Mr Sekeramayi was quoted as saying by the
Herald.
Zimbabwe is in the midst of an economic meltdown, highlighted by the world's highest inflation, officially estimated at 231 million per cent, although suspected to be much higher.
Unemployment is more than 80 per cent and food, water and fuel is scarce.
Reuters